There are four basic phases to every recording project. They are: Pre production Tracking Mixing Mastering Some artists will jump right into tracking when they’re first getting started on a recording project, but in most cases this means spending – and even wasting – more time in the studio, and that means bleeding money too….
Learning guitar by ear has become a bit of a lost art. It could be because guitar tablature is more accessible than ever, and we’d much rather get the gratification of learning and playing our favorite songs as quickly as possible instead of going through the trouble of figuring them out note for note. I…
There are basically two images you need to pay attention to when you’re setting up your Facebook page: your profile image, and your cover photo. Here’s why that’s important: it’s the first thing people see when they land on your fan page. By default, people pay attention to what’s above the fold. “Above the fold”…
Scales are the foundation of melodies, riffs, licks, solos, and improvisation. Rhythm guitar can be a lot of fun. But if you want to break out of just strumming and picking chords, and start throwing in some cool flourishes in your playing, you’ll have to learn your scales. At first, scales aren’t that interesting, so…
So you’ve decided to start building your presence on YouTube. Maybe you’ve even been posting videos for a while. But you don’t seem to be getting any kind of traction. Your videos are only getting a few views, and no matter how many times you post something new, it seems like you aren’t getting anywhere….
Something a colleague of mine said has stuck with me over the years: Chords are frozen arpeggios, and arpeggios are melted chords. I can’t remember exactly who it was that shared that with me, but I am thankful for that description, because it’s exactly how I explain arpeggios to my students today. And – just…
Getting 100 “likes” on your Facebook fan page is relatively easy. Getting 100 genuine music fans on the other hand… well, that’s a different matter entirely. Here’s what happens with most bands and artists. They invite all of their friends and family members to “like” their page. Pretty soon, they have 100 “likes” on their…
The guitar’s enduring popularity might have something to do with how it makes look one feel and appear in live performance. Guitars are cool. They can turn through-and-through music geeks like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani into mysterious virtuosos and otherworldly aliens. They can turn shy, introverted types like Jimi Hendrix into wild animals onstage….
Are you looking to get some instrumental tracks done? Maybe you have a album, a TV show, a movie, or a commercial you’re looking to add some music to. Or perhaps you have a new video game that’s in need of some atmosphere. Whether you’re just getting started, or your project is nearing completion, it’s…
Here’s the good news about beginner guitar chords – there are only eight you need to know. The bad news is that some beginners find it difficult to pick these up. You may want to start with some simple single note, double stop, triad, or flatpicking exercises before you start pulling your hair out trying…
Whether you’re looking to increase your Facebook fan page “likes”, raise attendance at your shows, or boost the visibility of a new video you just filmed, Facebook advertising is a tool you should be adding to your kit. A lot of musicians have doubts around the pay-to-play nature of Facebook marketing, but the reality is…
You don’t want your guitar students to treat your lessons like they treat any other class in school. Why? Because music is supposed to be fun, and your students aren’t going to stick with it if it isn’t. This doesn’t mean that your students won’t come and go. Inevitably, they will hit certain milestones in…
A widely held belief among artists is that their music is enough. They don’t think they need to work on their image, their stage banter, or their live presentation. While it is true that great music is a good asset to have, unless you plan on being a studio artist and just marketing your songs…
Have you ever complained about some of the lackluster live performance opportunities you’ve had? I know I have. Maybe you played and didn’t get compensated fairly for your time. Maybe the crowd wasn’t that into what you were doing. Maybe the gig ended with someone getting hurt or a guitar amp blowing up. Look, unfortunately,…
Let’s face it – the music industry is changing fast! What might be a great or even incredible idea today could become outdated and irrelevant in a very short amount of time. I have personal experience in the form of a failed startup investment. If you want to innovate in the music industry, you can’t…